The Despair of Unemployment

At the start of the novel, Jimmy Sr. is out of work. He is a plasterer who was laid off some time ago. Bimbo is a baker who has held the same job since he first began working in his teens. Early in the story, Bimbo is laid off. The difference between the reaction of the two characters toward their unemployment is interesting.

Jimmy Sr. is mainly concerned with finding ways to fill his days. He has two libraries that he goes to. He has been going to the Raheny library to read the papers, and has recently discovered the ILAC library. In addition to being part of a mall, the ILAC library has tapes, a language resource enter, pamphlets and things aimed at helping one find a job, and a television set where one could watch films with earphones. Jimmy Sr. is reluctant to...